How do you find things like moorings?

[admiralranga]

I assume that once you're on the button you start do doing a search pattern of some kind but what I'm curious is how you decide where to start looking? Use gps, take transit bearings off stuff, get the owner do show you where he thinks it is.

 

[Superlyte27]

All of the above.

 

[james croft]

Even a blind squirrel can find an acorn once in a while.

 

[Rick Murchison]

How do you find ... moorings?

Surely an Admiral should know!

Rick

 

[Octopusprime]

I GPS mark every boat dive I do...

 

[Hickdive]

I got asked to find a mooring last year and the guy I was doing it from assured me he had a gps and a position, a boat to get me on site and an anchor and rope he could drop for me to do a circular search from and tie in for the mooring.

The GPS turned out to be the one from his car, the boat was a two person (crammed together two person) inflatable rowboat tender and, when I asked where his anchor was he produced a folding grapple from his coat pocket!

He also estimated that the mooring was in about 10m; it was in 15m and he'd brought 7m of rope.

I sent him away for more rope for the mooring and he came back with what was little better than washing line.

Anyway, I found the mooring, attached his "rope", took his money and buggered off before he could get me involved in any more nonsense.

 

[admiralranga]

Even a blind squirrel can find an acorn once in a while.

After my sunday arvo dive in 0.5m vis I can confirm, it just takes a while (and the muppets getting the mooring position right).

Thanks for the answers people, Probably should have said preferred location method (that isn't following the line done) for snapped moorings.
Those of you that use gps's do you use nice fancy expensive or are the cheaper hiking ones okay? Sorry for all the questions, trying to figure out a good way of marking out all the mooring blocks at my sea scout troop.

 

[Akimbo]

How do you find things like moorings?

By the hour, at least until there is a downline on it.

 

[Octopusprime]

Handheld gps will get you close then sonar you can see hits..sonar will show density differences or shapes.